The Toronto Stock Exchange rose on Tuesday as gains in financial, technology and base metals stocks offset weakness in energy and telecom shares, while stronger-than-expected domestic economic data supported investor sentiment.
The S&P/TSX Composite Index closed up 33.17 points, or 0.10%, to 34,856.99, with a majority of sectors ending higher.
Base Metals led gainers, up 1.76%, with Battery Metals Index, Health Care, Industrials, Information and Technology, and Financial, up 0.13%, 1.02%, 0.13%, 0.85%, and 0.77%, respectively. Telecom led decliners, down 2.60%, while Energy, down 0.24%, and Utilities, down 0.61%.
In commodities, gold was steady on Tuesday, sticking above $4,000 even as the dollar and yields rose.
The precious metal for August delivery was last seen up 0.1% to $4,042.60 per ounce. The price of the metal has dropped 10% over the past month as investors worry rising US inflation due to higher energy prices will force a hike to US interest rates, bearish for the metal since it offers no yield.
Meanwhile, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil closed lower on Tuesday, as shipping through the Strait of Hormuz continues to free up previously trapped barrels. WTI crude for August delivery closed down 1.8% to $69.50 per barrel, while August Brent crude was last seen down 0.3% to $72.92.
In economic news, Statistics Canada said Canada's real gross domestic product rose 0.5% in April, more than expected, after contracting 0.1% in March. The consensus on Investing.com was for a 0.4% gain.
Goods-producing industries rose 1.2% in April, helped by mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction, according to StatsCan. The sector jumped 2.9% in April, the largest monthly growth rate since February 2024's 3.2%, more than offsetting March's 1.4% contraction.
Services-producing industries edged up 0.3%, the third-straight monthly increase. StatsCan said the increase was due to growth in the public sector and transportation and warehousing. Overall, 14 of the 20 industrial sectors advanced in April, the agency reported.
The public sector aggregate, comprising educational services, health care and social assistance, and public administration, expanded 0.4% in April, on increases across all comprising sectors.
Transportation and warehousing rose 0.9% in April, up for the second time in three months, driven in large part in the month by increases in rail and pipeline transportation.
The manufacturing sector rose 0.6% in April, while the construction sector edged up 0.7%, reversing four consecutive monthly declines. Real estate and rental and leasing expanded for the third consecutive month, rising 0.2% in April, on increases across all comprising subsectors. StatsCan said offices of real estate agents and brokers and activities related to real estate (+1.3%) contributed the most to the growth.
The agency estimates real GDP by industry increased 0.1% in May. This estimate will be updated on July 31.
April's stronger GDP stats indicates a better transition to the second quarter with Q2 growth now tracking above an annualized pace of 2%, TD Economics wrote in a note.
"Zooming out, that leaves the first-quarter stumble looking more like a temporary soft patch than the start of a deeper downturn, broadly in line with the Bank of Canada's view that growth should resume in Q2 even if the economy remains in excess supply," said economist Marc Ercolao.
Canada's economy never entered any "credible" definition of recession, but growth is rebounding in Q2, wrote Scotiabank's Derek Holt, head of capital markets economics.
"This offers a nice set-up for the Bank of Canada's wholesale forecast reset in the July 15th MPR and following next week's BoC surveys that are likely to show higher inflation expectations," Holt said.
In company news, MDA Space (MDA.TO) was in focus after the federal government awarded the company a C$688-million contract to build and launch a new replenishment satellite for Canada's RADARSAT Constellation Mission, The Canadian Press reported.
Industry Minister Melanie Joly said is important to the country's security and sovereignty
"In an increasingly dangerous and divided world, Canada is investing in modern surveillance systems to detect threats earlier," Joly said in a news release. "Through this investment, we are reinforcing Canada's sovereign satellite capabilities and equipping industry and the Canadian Armed Forces with the intelligence they need to protect communities, inform decisions, and keep Canada secure."